


Goodbye Cruel World, I'm Leaving You Today

by Nia_Chamberlain



Category: Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
Genre: AU after Snakehead, Alan Blunt is a Dick, Alex is a mess, Brief mention of Ian Rider, Brief mention of Sabina, Brief mention of Yassen, Jack is dead, Mission Fic, Other, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-23
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-05-15 18:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5794483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nia_Chamberlain/pseuds/Nia_Chamberlain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex doesn't know how he got here, crying on his chemistry papers and soaking the sleeves of his hoodie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

At some point he knew his uncle had wanted him to be happy, to have a normal life. It was obvious in the simplest ways, not that he could recall them now. He probably wouldn’t ever be able to. After all that had happened, everything that had been thrown at him…he’d been lucky to not go insane. The teen found he could barely remember his uncle, even though the man was all he had ever known. No parents, no other relatives, few friends. Even fewer close friends, those he could talk to when his uncle had died.

  
That had been narrowed down to Tom quite quickly and sometimes the boy felt bad for his friend. He felt bad thinking of all the things he shoved on his shoulders, the fact that he knew about Alex’s work, the fact his best friend would disappear and come back weeks later with some new scar and a ridiculous story about some kind of infection. Tom had to deal with vicious rumors, worry over his friend, and still find time to deal with his own home drama. Alex felt bad for placing the added weight of his own fucked-up existence on his friend’s young shoulders. Still, he was glad that he had Tom because if he didn’t the teen was sure he would become as cold and emotionless as Blunt.  
He didn’t know where all of this was coming from really. One minute he was completing a makeup chemistry assignment and the next his head was bowed in his folded arms, silent tears staining his papers and making the sleeves of his hoodie damp.

  
Under normal circumstances he would be worried about Jack coming in and finding him; he hadn’t ever wanted the red-head to deal with his problems. Now he didn’t have to worry about his friend - _his sister-_ coming to check on him. She was dead, gone and left him. Same as his parents, as Ian, as Ash, and as Yassen. Alex didn’t blame the American, he never could. He knew she was just an innocent that got caught in the crossfire. Maybe it would have been better if Alex had never said yes to the first mission, let Blunt send Jack back to America, and then lived the rest of his school life at some dreadful boarding school.

  
As much as he wanted to go back and go down that path, he knew he couldn’t. Alex had been on too many missions, had lives resting on his shoulders, had the world resting on the outcome of his work. Alex thinks to himself, as he cries into his chemistry papers in the silence of his room, that he would have sent Jack to America himself. Yes, that seems most likely. She would be safe, Alex would still go on missions, and the lives that had rested on his shoulders so many times would still be saved. Blunt would be content with screwing his life up and wouldn’t even have to go to the trouble of blackmailing him.

  
Alex wondered if his thoughts could be considered sadistic and self-damning. He wanted to believe he wouldn’t throw himself in this situation if he had known but he couldn’t believe that. Not in the slightest. Alex was a killer and yet, he was also a saver of lives. He didn’t think saving lives erased the bad things he had done, but he knew it was important. What did it matter anyway, he thought. Thinking about ‘what ifs’ and ‘could have beens.’ Still the tears fell and although they were silent, Alex felt as if he was making the loudest noises in the world.

  
As the tears dampened his sleeves, the material began to cool on his arms. Raising his head, he quickly tugged off the hoodie, tossing it somewhere behind him. There were still bruises on his wrists from where the shackles had him chained to the wall. Alex leaned back in his chair, head tilted so his eyes could peer at the ceiling. The tears began to slow and he felt a small chuckle tear from his throat. It was followed by another and another until he was laughing lightly. The laughter grew until it was hindering his breathing and he began to choke, black dots clouding his vision. His laughter cut off abruptly and he struggled for breath, relishing in the sharp pain not having air caused him. As he sat catching his breath, he became aware that everything and everyone he ever cared about was gone.

  
Jack was dead. Ash was a traitor. Sabina and her family had moved to California for a fresh start and she asked him not to contact her. Tom was refusing to talk to him until he got help. Alex had no idea why he needed help. He’d been taking care of himself on missions for a year. He could stop a virus from killing millions of school children, a madman from bombing Russia, and even stop SCORPIA’s evil plots. Did he have any help on those missions? Sure, but most of it was minimal. Practically nonexistent.

  
He realized with a start just how tired he was. His breathing was back under control and there were no longer dots dancing across his vision. Feeling boneless, he stood from his chair and walked to the bathroom connected to his room. Closing the door behind him, he sat on the closed toilet seat with his head bowed in his hands. His fingers inched around to the space between the toilet and the wall, searching for a hidden treasure. Grasping the knife wedged within the small space, he slipped it out of its sheath. For a minute he sat quietly, no particular thoughts in his mind. Yet at the same time there was a constant buzz that Alex was desperate to get rid of.

  
How often had he thought of this? Escaping this life? Ian had once said it was a coward’s way out but Alex found he no longer cared what his uncle thought of him. Maybe, if he had been told the truth by his uncle, things would have been different. The teen used to feel guilty for Ian’s death but it had moved on to anger at his uncle for leaving him. Recently it had been shoved away and a film of indifference coated it. I’m so tired, he thought. The knife in his hand was slim and practically weightless. With little thought Alex dug it into his arm, quickly slicing his wrist vertically. Immediately blood welled and began to drip.

  
Vaguely Alex realized he’d get everything dirty with his blood so he climbed into the shower. It would be easier to clean out, he reasoned. To make it easier on the future clean-up crew, he started the water to wash the blood away as it leaked out. Not bothering to undress, he settled himself in the corner. After he dragged the knife across his other wrist he sat back. The knife was set in the bottom of the tub, water washing away the blood efficiently. Alex sat with his knees tucked against his chest and his arms wrapped around them tightly, holding them in place. Leaning his head forward, he rested it on his knees, face turned toward the door. As his eyes began to close he smiled.  
He didn’t feel quite so tired anymore.

  
-Third POV- 

The door to the apartment opened quietly. In came four men, all well-built and obviously in high spirits. The first man in flipped on the light, causing the others to curse. 

“Bloody hell Wolf, why not blind us all?”

True to his name, a wolfish grin stretched across his lips. With a chuckle he fell into the comfortable grasp of a nearby armchair. He reached for the remote, stopped by one of his friends. 

“No way, mate. We’re not watching Dr. Who reruns again.”

The Scottish-accent sounded slightly amused but also annoyed. Wolf frowned and nodded sullenly, not one to pout. Another man literally bounced to the Scot’s side, sitting on the couch next to him.

“What are we gonna watch Snake?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Why not?”

“The TV isn’t on.”

“But you have to have an idea!”

Wolf groaned, his head falling back as he rolled his eyes. The man’s energy never ceased to amaze him and to some degrees, annoy him. Snake simply ignored his friends. The last man came in, closing the door and shrugging out of his jacket. 

“Calm down Eagle.”

The energetic man, deemed Eagle, stuck his lower lip out as he flopped onto the couch dejectedly. Snake raised a brow when his friend stuck his feet in his lap but made no move to remove them, to engrossed in finding a good channel on the TV. The last man, the only still unnamed, hovered at the beginning of a nearby hallway, seemingly contemplating something. Wolf glanced at him.

“Go get Cub and bring him out here, Fox. He’s probably been bored out of his skull all day.” 

Fox nodded, heading down the hall. His three friends went about arguing about the show they were watching while he trekked down the hall. Reaching the last door on the left, he knocked gently. There was no reply, so he knocked again and added a calling. 

“Alex?”

No reply yet again. Fox shrugged and opened the door, figuring the teen was listening to his IPod to loud again. However, there was no one in the room. He turned to the bathroom door, listening to the sounds of running water. Walking quickly, Fox rapped on the door twice. 

“Alex, the rest of K-Unit is here.”

There was no reply. Not even a huff of annoyance or a groan at the interruption of his shower. Worry began to flood Fox’s veins like ice water. 

“Alex?”

Calling twice more and knocking both times, just to be fair, the man waited impatiently for an answer. Receiving none, he grasped the knob. Not bothering to warn his ward that he was coming in (it was his own fault for not answering his calls) he twisted the knob. It opened easily, something which sent warning bells ringing in Fox’s head. Alex never left his door unlocked, he was too cautious. Pushing the door open, Fox froze. Almost immediately he jolted to the tub, switching off the water with one hand and reaching for the teen at the same time. 

_Oh god, oh god, oh god._

Fox rested a hand against Alex’s cheek, feeling the cool skin. Blue tinged his lips and fingernails, effectively snapping Fox to his senses. 

“SNAKE!”

As he called for his teammate, the man placed a shaking hand on the teen’s head, carding his fingers through the blond locks carefully. He wasn’t sure if it was to comfort himself or to try to wake Alex. In the living room Snake jumped up, causing Eagle’s feet to fall off the couch. He sprinted out of the room, Eagle and Wolf hurrying after him at the despair and desperation they heard in their friend’s voice. They made it to Alex’s room, quickly coming to a stop in shock at the bathroom doorway. 

Fox was sitting on the ground, legs folded beneath him. In his lap was Cub, still slightly curled up. Fox had one strong arm wrapped around the teen’s shoulders, keeping him upright and tucked against his chest. His free hand was shifting through Cub’s hair shakily. There were already tears in his eyes, though he seemed to be holding it together for his ward’s sake. Snake immediately snapped into action. Wolf and Eagle could only watch, shocked. Snake turned on them.

“GO! Call an ambulance!”

Eagle turned and tore out of the room, running down the hall to the phone. With sure fingers he typed in 999 and held the phone to his ear. 

“Hello, what is your emergency?”

-Two Days Later- 

Hospitals were always unwelcome. Even when someone was getting better within the white, bland walls, the hospital was a reminder of the hard times the patient had gone through…why they were there. It didn’t help that no matter where you went within the building it smelled like death and strong cleaning supplies, most often bleach. Luckily hospital rooms weren’t as bad, especially private ones. Four men, obviously soldiers despite their ruffled and average clothing consisting on jeans, boots, and t-shirts of varying colors, where littered around one of these private rooms.

The one known as Wolf rested in a chair right next to the door, obviously on edge and considering himself the protection for the room. He had a standard issue 9mm Browning pistol strapped to his thigh, indicating they were SAS. Eagle was sitting on the window sill, switching between rubbing his hands together and standing to pace. On the left side of the bed sat Snake, who had his eyes closed but one hand wrapped around the Alex’s wrist as though making sure he still had a pulse. On the right was Fox, who had the teen’s other hand wrapped between both his. He sat forward in this chair, elbows resting on his knees. 

The teen occupying the bed was still unconscious, face smooth and unburdened. His cheeks were a little hollow and his eyes slightly sunken in. The deep purple bags under them only made the fact more obvious. Alex was skinny, the men knew that, but when the doctor had pointed out that you could count his ribs clearly they were startled. They didn’t know how- or when -it had gotten so bad. The only obvious injury was his wrists, which were wrapped tightly in thick white gauze. 

Another thirty minutes wore on and dusk was approaching. Snake suddenly stirred, eyes opening quickly. He leaned forward in his seat, adjusting his grip on Alex’s wrist. The others in the room watched his movements, Eagle coming to stand beside him. 

“He’s waking up.”

Wolf stood, walking to Fox’s side. The man was chewing his lip, hands gently rubbing the teen’s hand. Eyelashes fluttered against pale skin and weary brown eyes opened. His brow crinkled and his eyes quickly scanned the whole room, taking in everything and everyone. Fox was sad to see that even in such a delicate state, Alex still followed his spy training, falling back into old routine and making sure to mark potential enemies and escape routes. 

“Cub?”

It was Snake who spoke first. Brown eyes turned to him, blinking owlishly. Snake’s free hand ran through his hair, though he kept a firm grasp on Alex’s wrist. 

“How are you feeling?”

Alex opened his mouth to reply but coughed instead. It continued for a few moments until he caught his breath, sagging into his pillow. He raised a hand, rubbing his throat gently. Snake nodded. 

“Alright.”

He stood, turning to Eagle. 

“Go get him some water.”

“Right.”

The usually energetic man walked out of the room quickly. He knew better than to mess with Snake when he was in medic-mode. Besides, he couldn’t stand the sight of Cub laying there, all wide eyes and confused looks. Snake grasped Wolf’s elbow, taking him out of the room.

“We’re going to find Cub’s doctor.”

The door closed behind them softly. Fox understood what they were doing, giving him a chance to talk to Alex in private. He found he couldn’t say anything, even though he knew he had many things to say and so many questions. Biting back a sigh, he ran his fingers through his hair. He felt a gentle squeeze on his hand and looked up, catching Alex’s gaze. 

“B-ben?”

Fox, otherwise known as Ben Daniels, winced openly at the dry, grating sound of his adopted son’s voice. Alex tilted his head to the left and Ben knew it was his way of asking what was wrong with the SAS soldier. Ben brushed a stray hair from Alex’s eyes, getting a small twitch of a smile as a reward.

“Alex, do you remember what happened?”

Brown eyes clouded over for a moment, the teen obviously thinking. Slowly he nodded, moving his gaze to his lap. Ben bite his lip, half angry with what Alex had done and half regretful for asking about it. Mostly he was just worried and wanting to help the teen he cared for so much. 

“Alex?”

He opened his mouth, obviously wanting to speak. With an angry sort of choking sound, as though he were angry with himself, he coughed viciously. Ben gently rubbed his shoulder noticing the small, almost unnoticeable shift of weight on his hand as Alex leaned into the comforting motion. It brought a small smile to his lips. 

“I’m…so-orr-y.” 

It wasn’t an explanation, nor was it the answer to any of Ben’s question. Yet he could hear the sincerity, see the sadness, feel the reliance. Ben knew it wasn’t enough. He knew Alex, and the rest of the K-unit, was going to have a long road ahead of them. That was okay though, he decided. 

It was a start. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this was the first Alex Rider fic I ever wrote…I’m in the processing of moving everything over from my old Fanfiction account and this was the first one to be moved.  
> It holds a special place in my heart because of how warmly the Alex Rider fandom treats it's authors; you're all so passionate and willing to share your thoughts.  
> Oh and the title is from the Korn song, Another Brick in the Wall. So disclaimer to the title I suppose?  
> Nia


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: As I have only read up to Snakehead (and I honestly don’t think that’s going to change) everything is fictional from that point on. I’ve heard rumors of Jack dying and Alex going to America with the Pleasures…don’t expect my story to follow the plotline of the books after Snakehead.

-With Ben- 

With a deep sigh, the black-haired man carding his fingers through his hair. It had gotten longer since his last mission as he was off duty and had more to worry about than a haircut. Like his ward, for example. How long had it been since Alex had been placed in his care? After Snakehead, Ben had no contact with the teen spy for a little over a week. Then he was called in by Alan Blunt, the MI6 head. Upon arriving he was asked numerous questions he thought were quite odd. They ranged from his current living family to what kind of car he drove (though he was sure they already knew all the answers) and who he had over to his apartment often. 

Shortly after the interview- questioning, interrogation, whatever -he had been told he was to watch after one of MI6’s underage operatives. Of course, everyone knew there was only one underage operative; Agent Rider. He was a legend to most of the operatives, to some a shadow they had seen in action, and to even fewer a well-known colleague. Ben had been overjoyed that he was going to get to watch over Alex and though he was confused as to why his guardian, Jack, wasn’t watching over him Ben couldn’t bring himself to care at that moment. 

He had gone home and cleaned up the spare bedroom. It was already squared away as one of the K-Unit could sometimes be found sleeping there after a particularly brutal night of drinking and catching up. So he dusted and made the bed. MI6 had told him Alex’s stay would be indefinite so the SAS soldier decided he would need to get the spare desk from his office. After doing so he had collapsed on the couch, enjoying the silence for a little over an hour before the doorbell rang. When he had opened it Ben was sure his jaw had dropped open in surprise. 

He had hardly recognized the teen standing there quietly with a backpack slung over one shoulder and a duffle held in the other. He was clothed in a baggie black hoodie and jeans, hair shading his eyes. The soldier had never seen the teen wear black for anything other than recon and certainly not on such a loose, ill-fitting hoodie. Ben had promptly ushered him in, showing him his room as he had already been to the apartment before and didn’t need a tour. After Alex’s quiet wish of just wanting some sleep, he had left the boy’s room and settled onto the couch again. 

Vaguely Ben wondered what had happened for MI6 to place their most valued operative into his care but thinking back on the way Alex looked, he decided it was probably due to an injury that needed healing. Yet his mind circled back to Jack. The red-head had been fiercely protective of Alex and from what the teen had said they loved each other dearly. A week passed in which Ben noticed Alex never went to school and when he questioned him about it, the blonde had shrugged it off and said MI6 had taken him out.   
K-Unit showed up the weekend after Alex came to live with him and they managed to get him out of his room for about an hour. Then he’d left again. They wouldn’t have noticed if it wasn’t for Snake’s quite observation of the fatigued slump in Alex’s shoulders as he left the room. From there it had just escalated. Or rather, began to fall rapidly. The easy coexistence Ben and Alex had built in the span of a week had quickly crumbled. 

Most nights Ben called the K-Unit over and talked to them of his worries. He never saw Alex unless he sought him out, he certainly never saw him eat, and when he did manage to catch a glimpse of the elusive spy he looked worse for wear. Wolf thought he was exaggerating, Eagle seemed to feel slightly worried, and Snake asked Ben if Cub had any traumatic experiences as of late. Ben was upset with both himself and MI6 when he discovered he really couldn’t say. Sure, there was the Snakehead mission but he had received time off and was still in counseling for another week. Surely Alex was in the same boat. 

Somehow Wolf had talked him into a night out. After trying to get Alex to come along and spectacularly failing, they had headed out. Ben decided early on he didn’t want to get shit-faced and set the limit at 2 drinks for himself. The others followed him example and they spent the evening eating extremely spicy wings (curse you Eagle!) and sipping beer. When they had gotten home they planned on dragging Alex out of his room for some TV time. Then…

Ben clenched his jaw. He would really rather not think about that night. Walking into the bathroom, seeing what he did…it was one of his worst memories. The soldier still got nervous when he heard Alex turn on the shower, especially after a day of hiding in his room. Alex seemed to take Ben walking into the bathroom minutes after starting a shower surprisingly well. He had taken to peeking his head around the curtain and giving a tentative smile that was more like a grimace in Ben’s eyes. 

The Incident, as K-Unit had begun to refer to it as, had happened only 7 days ago. After 3 days in the hospital Alex had been released with strict orders to keep an eye on him. Snake had been briefed by the doctor on Alex’s condition using a lot of fancy words and medical terms. After Alex had gotten settled in his room, Snake sat them down and told them what the doctor said. 

The first thing out of his mouth was that Alex was having some heart problems. Ben had felt his own heart skip a beat. Snake went on to say the doctor had noticed some curious inflammation and still healing wounds around a scar on his chest, about a centimeter above his heart. The fact that the teen was extremely underweight and fatigued was not helping. His BP was higher than it should be, even compared to his normal stats which were always a few notches above what they should be. 

Snake also mentioned that he was working on getting Alex’s medical file from MI6. The unit had been briefed by Blunt and Jones after the Incident and were all equally disgusted and saddened by Alex’s position in the organization. The doctor had mentioned signs of torture, including weak lungs which he had admitted was probably from some form of water torture. 

Ben rolled his neck, reaching with one hand to rub at it. He felt tired and achy all over, not quite ready to sleep comfortably enough to get a proper rest. K-Unit was helping out a lot, which he appreciated more than he could ever say. Speaking of which…

“Alex!”

There was a small span of silence which was long enough for Ben to momentarily panic- _god, what if he was bleeding out on the bathroom floor?_ -but then there was a soft click of a doorknob turning and the soldier smothered a relieved sigh. At least Alex was trying now, even though Ben was sure it was more for his sake than the teen’s own want to get better. Said teen trudged into the living room, hands hidden by the long sleeves of his dark green hoodie which the older man recognized as his own. 

“I just wanted to give you a heads up. The K-Unit is coming over tonight and they might be staying a few days.”

Which translated to: they’ve decided to just stay here instead of coming and going all day, every day. Alex began to nod before catching himself. Ben could practically see him mentally berating himself as he opened his mouth to reply. 

“Alright.”

The teen’s voice was the same soft, low tone that it always was, though it was still a bit scratchy from the lack of use. Ben gave him a small, encouraging smile. Alex ducked his head and turned to leave the room, waving slightly to his guardian over his shoulder. The 23 year-old man would never point it out but he knew that Alex appreciated his support, though he didn’t know how to show it. As the teen disappeared back into his room, Ben sighed. 

The first few days Alex had been back from the hospital had been difficult. The teenager hadn’t wanted to leave his bed, let alone eat or talk about his problems. He didn’t sleep much either. Even if he did fall asleep, he had nightmares, and then proceeded to empty his mostly empty stomach into the toilet. K-Unit had begun to take shifts, keeping an eye on him. 

They each had their own ‘calming Cub’ techniques. The first few times it had happened, they made the mistake of trying to wake him up by shaking his shoulder or lightly grasping his wrist or ankle. After Eagle ended up with a broken nose and Wolf shoved into a wall, resulting in a sprained wrist, did they start to realize waking a super-spy by grasping a body part was a horrible idea. 

Ben was partial to telling Alex is was only him and then carding his fingers through the blonde locks until the teen calmed down. Wolf wrapped his arms around Alex’s chest and held him as he thrashed until he either woke up or wore himself out. Eagle hadn’t had to deal with the nightmares a second time and Snake was usually the one holding the teen up as he heaved. 

The unit came to the mutual understanding that Alex only came out when Ben asked him to. Most of the things Alex did were because he knew Ben wanted him to do them. Sometimes if Snake nudged him enough he would struggle through a small portion of dinner. They were trying to ease him back into eating as they didn’t want to overwhelm his fragile stomach. 

Ben was knocked out of his thoughts by his door opening. He turned his head, catching sight of the fair-hair and blue-eyes that gave the medic in his unit away. That and his imposing height of 6’2. He was the tallest of the unit, despite Eagle’s continuing arguments. 

“Hey Snake.”

He hm-ed in greeting and threw his bag next to the sofa. First come, first serve it seems. Ben smothered a chuckle. Snake sat next to him on the couch, rummaging through his bag. 

“Cub let you change his bandages?”

He was of course referring to the bandages around his wrists. That and the ones the doctor had warned him were wrapped around his chest and left thigh. The doctor had said they were about a week old, which put the wounds after the Snakehead mission, something that confused Ben. MI6 hadn’t sent Alex on a mission right after coming home, had they? Cloudy blue eyes snapped into focus as a Scottish voice called his name.

“You in there?”

“Sorry Snake.”

The medic shook his head exasperatedly. 

“Well?”

“No, he won’t even let me see them. I know he’s changing them though because there have been some dirty bandages in the trash.”

Snake bite his lip with silent concentration. Finally he pulled out a thick file, kicking the bag away as he sat up. Ben leaned over to see the file just as the door opened for the second time in 5 minutes. 

“Should we come back later?”

“Shut up Eagle.”

The brunette came around the couch and sat on the armrest, sliding down until he was lying on his back. His legs dangled off the edge of the couch and his head was pressed into Snake’s thigh. Green eyes sparkled, betraying the amusement he felt because of his joke. There was a light snort and Wolf moved to sit in the armchair, brown eyes seeming less hard and more tired than usual. 

“What are you reading, Snake?”

“Cub’s medical file.”

Eagle twisted onto his side so he could read the file in his teammate’s hands. He couldn’t see it very well so he grunted and sat up. However, he found that while he could now read the text he could not understand it. 

“I can’t understand this.”

“I’m not surprised.”

Eagle pouted and Ben rolled his eyes.

“I didn’t mean that as an insult to your intelligence.”

“Though it should be taken that way.”

Wolf muttered it under his breath but Snake heard and shot him an amused smile. Ben rolled his eyes at his teammates. 

“Snake is probably the only one that understands it. It’s full of medical terms that I can’t even pronounce.” 

Snake snorted. 

“Not that they tell me much.”

“What do you mean?”

Snake gave Wolf an irritated glare. 

“Most of this has been redacted.” 

Eagle blinked, mouthing ‘redacted’ in a confused manner to Wolf. The team leader refused to show his irritation and roll his eyes, though he did lift a brow. 

“If it was redacted it means MI6 went through and removed any information they thought was above our clearance.”

Wolf turned to Snake.

“Tell us what you can.”

The medic nodded, skimming the file and flipping pages. 

“From the size of the file it’s obvious he’s been injured often. Most of these were small wounds, some sprained wrists and twisted ankles. A couple of deep bruising cases…”

He trailed off, flipping some pages. His nose twitched, something his friends noticed he did when he was thinking. 

“However, there is not report of appendicitis…”

Ben looked over his shoulder. 

“They told us he was in the hospital for appendicitis less than a month ago.”

“This is the right time, according to the dates but there is no report of appendicitis. In fact…this whole trip to the hospital is blacked out. Even the BP levels.”

“Bloody hell! MI6 doesn’t give us anything to work with!”

Ben sighed, running a hand through his hair. Wolf had stood up and was angrily pacing the length of the living room, muttering under his breath about MI6 and the dimwits that ran it. Snake was rapidly flipping through the remaining pages of the file and his frown was growing more serious with each page. 

Eagle was sitting and seemingly staring into space, something Ben noticed he did when he was being serious and trying to think. The phone rang in the hall and Ben stood up to answer it. He heard Snake throw the file onto the table with a disgusted grunt. Rubbing his forehead in to try and relieve the up and coming headache, he reached for the phone and put it up to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Agent Daniels.”

Ben clenched his jaw.

“I’m not an agent anymore, Mrs. Jones. It was a one-time deal.”

“Of course.”

The SAS soldier rolled his eyes, knowing she didn’t care and hating her for calling. 

“Mr. Daniels, I need you and your unit to come check on your bank account. Bring Alex as well.”

“No way in hell.”

“Excuse me?”

Ben growled and he vaguely heard things quieting in the living room. He knew his unit was trying to hear his conversation but he didn’t care. Chances were he would tell them anyway. 

“There is no way Alex is coming in.”

“I wasn’t aware you had a choice in the matter.”

Sarcastic bitch. 

“Alex isn’t coming in. He needs time off.”

“It isn’t for a mi-“

“I don’t give a flying fuck what it’s for!”

“Mr. Daniels-“

Before he could hear the rest of her reply or give her a piece of his mind, he found the phone being pulled from his ear by cool fingers. He turned on his heel and watched silently, jaw clenching, as Alex put the phone to his ear. 

“We’ll be there.”

He hung up, not giving Jones a chance to reply. After putting the phone away, he gently patted Ben’s shoulder before turning and walking back to his room. For a long while, Ben couldn’t move. When he finally made it back to the living room, he told K-Unit tersely that they were expected at the Royal & General Bank tomorrow. The rest of the evening was spent in tense silence. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay or nay? I didn’t do much editing when I transferred this story, so if anyone notices any glaring mistakes let me know. Thanks!   
> Nia


	3. Chapter 3

Alex didn’t get the exact time from Mrs. Jones and according to Ben, he didn’t either. So it was decided (by Wolf) that they would head in around 1PM and hope for the best. Alex, after a long night of tossing and turning, had finally ‘woke up’ around 6:30AM and promptly climbed into the shower. Ben popped his head in about 2 minutes later, hair ruffled and eyes blinking rapidly, both an indicator that he just woke up.   
  
“Alex?”

The teen looked around the curtain, reaching with a hand to brush the soap suds that were in danger of dripping into his eyes. Ben was earlier than he usually was, the spy thought with mild interest. Maybe he thought the call from MI6 triggered a meltdown. In fact, that was exactly what Ben had thought. The elder man was on edge from the evening before and was, to put it frankly, bloody pissed at MI6 for even thinking, let alone actually calling Alex in after his attempted suicide. 

“Yes Ben?”

The soldier licked his lips, a nervous habit. 

“Are you alright? With going to MI6, that is.”

Alex blinked before disappearing back behind the shower curtain. Ben sat himself on the closed toilet seat, kneeling forward. He laced his fingers together, resting his chin on the platform they provided. 

“I’m fine.”

Ben heard the pop of a bottle opening and then the soft click of the lid closing. Conditioner, he thought tiredly, trying to hold in a desperate yawn. Though it had been Eagle’s watch last night, Ben had stayed up ‘till the early morning listening for any signs of Alex going off the deep end. Part of him felt bad for assuming Alex would do anything. The teen hadn’t shown any signs of wanting to kill himself again, not since they’d found him in the bathroom. Ben sighed wearily, rubbing a hand across his face.

_Bad thoughts._

There was a slight cough. The soldier looked up, catching sight of Alex reaching for a towel. He quickly stood, moving to leave the bathroom. Before he closed the door, he turned to face the teen. 

“Come down to breakfast soon.”

“Alright, Ben.”

The soldier left the room, knowing he’d just been placated and finding he didn’t really care. If Alex was going to come out and eat breakfast solely for Ben’s sake, then so be it. At least he was eating. Ben sat himself at the kitchen table with a huff, dully noting that he would need to get a bigger apartment if K-Unit was going to continue to live with him and Alex. 

“Eagle is asleep on the couch in the living room.”

Wolf sat next to Ben. 

“I told him we’d wake him 30 minutes before we needed to leave. He’s exhausted.”

Snake brought over three plates, setting one in front of each of them and then taking a seat himself. He raised a quizzical brow in Ben’s direction.

“You don’t look much better, mate.”

Ben just sighed for what felt like the millionth time this morning and took a large gulp of his coffee. Snake left it at that, turning back to his food and eating quietly. Wolf was playing with his fork in a childish show of nerves, something that rarely ever happened, even when it was just the K-Unit hanging out. Wolf wasn’t just a strong leader, he was a strong person and to see him openly displaying worry slightly freaked his friends out. 

“…how’s Cub?”

Snake glanced over without moving his head, flicking his eyes from Wolf to Ben and back again. Ben, for his part, stopped eating entirely and just stared into his scrambled eggs. 

“He said he was fine.” 

Wolf hm-ed slightly, sticking a piece of bacon into his mouth. Snake sat down his fork, leaning forward with his elbows resting on the table. 

“I think he wants to go in.”

Wolf and Ben looked up, both with looks of surprise on their faces. Ben sat his own utensil on his plate and leaned back in his seat, strong arms crossed over his chest. 

“Explain.”

Snake worried for a moment that he had pissed Ben off but then he realized his friend was obviously seriously thinking about what the Scot had said. 

“The only thing Alex has to turn to right now is MI6.”

Before Snake could continue, Wolf spoke up, eyes quizzical. 

“What about his family.”

“He doesn’t have family. He only has his guardian, Jack.”

Snake and Wolf seemed equally worried about this news. 

“So why isn’t he with her?”

Ben shrugged, at a loss.

“He won’t talk about her and MI6 hasn’t given me anything to work with.”

Wolf went to say something when Alex walked in, towel hanging around his neck. He eyed the soldiers, obviously taking in their hunched forms and serious faces. Once he came to a conclusion he walked to the stove to grab the plate Snake made for him. Then he left the room, closing the door after him softly. They heard the TV turn on and the volume turned down slightly, to keep from waking Eagle. 

The three SAS men shared a look. They knew that Alex had known they were talking to them. They also knew he had just given them the means to continue talking about him, something that had never happened before. None of them could decide if it was an act of trust or the teen just giving up. Either way they didn’t feel right talking about him anymore. Breakfast was finished in silence. 

-In the Afternoon-

After waking Eagle up and letting him eat a quick lunch, K-Unit had headed to the Royal & General bank. Wolf’s hummer was the only car big enough for all of them. Wolf drove with Snake next to him. Ben and Eagle sat in the middle seats and Alex climbed into the back, eyes constantly peering out the windows. The ride was mostly silent. As they neared the entrance to the bank, Alex dropped back slightly. Ben could see him running his eyes along the surrounding roofs. When the soldier followed the spy’s movements, he found nothing. 

As they entered the bank, Eagle noticed the teen spy go around an area of cement that was whiter than the surrounding area, indicating it was relatively new. After they passed the concrete, the doorman beckoned them in, holding the door open for them. He gave Alex a soft smile that all the SAS soldiers classified as understanding and sorrowful. It confused them to see it directed at Alex, who nodded to the doorman. Ben could see the extreme gratitude in the boy’s brown eyes and he wondered what had happened for such an extravagant response. 

Once in the lobby, Alex went to the counter and exchanged a few words with the blonde woman sitting behind it. She gave him a curt nod, eyeing him in something akin to curiosity as he walked back to K-Unit. 

“Mrs. Jones will be down soon.”

Wolf’s brow furrowed. 

“Shouldn’t you be able to just go up?”

“No. I don’t have identification.”

The group managed to control their surprise. 

“Why not?”

Ben had been in the process of having an ID made when he had decided to back out of becoming an official MI6 agent and proceeded to go back to the SAS. For Alex to not have an ID when he was (quite obviously) an agent (and probably their best, at that) was appalling. 

“I’m underage, so technically I can’t work for them, which means I am not allowed to have an ID.”

Before they could question the situation anymore (in particular how underage was he exactly?) the elevator opened. Mrs. Jones strode out, furiously sucking on a peppermint. She wore a dark suit as always, yet this time she wore a silver shirt that matched her necklace under the black jacket. Alex noted that she had trimmed her hair from the last time he saw her, as it was a good inch above her shoulders. 

“Alex.”

She nodded her hello to the K-Unit, not bothering to address them by name. Without another word she turned and led the way to the elevator. Alex paused at the entrance, hesitating uncertainly. A gentle push from Snake had him walking forward, situating himself in a corner and shoving his hands in his pockets. Blond bangs fell in front of his eyes and the others in the elevator took this as an indication not to bother him. 

Alex was too busy trying to remember to breath to notice the curious and worried stares. 

-Flashback Start-

_Alex sat in a small box, legs curled up to his chest and arms wrapped tight around his knees to keep them in place. He was resting in bed when he had heard the doorbell ring and Jack answering it. Then nothing. Alex had climbed out of bed and was halfway down the stairs when he heard the sound of a muffled gunshot (a silencer, he immediately noted) and then a heavy crash. He practically sprinted down the stairs to the kitchen, pausing in the doorway._   
_Alex felt a few hot tears clinging to his eyelashes. Jack…she was gone. Shot between the eyes, most likely dead before she hit the floor. At least there was some comfort in the fact she hadn’t felt pain. Alex hoped she hadn’t. He had collapsed to his knees beside her and began to run his fingers through her vibrant, red hair. The same hue as the blood now running down her face. With a shaky hand he closed her eyes, trying to take a deep breath to steady himself. When he felt the hands grab him from behind he forced his body not to fight._   
_What point was there to living if he didn’t have Jack? Sabina had moved on and Tom would be safer without him around. Who else was there to live for? Ian? Yassen? Blunt? Alex would have snorted at the thought if he wasn’t being shoved into a metal container in the back of a van. The door had closed and latched and now here he was, sitting in total darkness and total silence, practically tearing his hair out._   
_He had never got people who were claustrophobic. Being here, in the cramped darkness with no sense of time and nothing but stale air…Alex got it. He allowed his fingers to continue to shake, seeing as he was alone and there was no need to keep his composure. Something dripped onto his clothed knee and he reached a hand up to wipe at his face. It came away wet with salty liquid…not tears, but sweat. Now that he thought of it, it was extremely hot in the box._   
_The temperature was beginning to rise and Alex, though he had no spot to fix his sights on, could tell he was swaying. At least it felt like he was swaying where he sat. His head tingled with the familiar feelings of lightheadedness and for a moment he began to panic. Then he forced himself to breathe. It wouldn’t do any good to freak out in this extremely small, enclosed space when there was obviously no exits, no air…_   
_Alex felt fear bubble in his chest and his breath began to shorten. In the next few moments he began to gasp for breath, darkness crawled into his vision, and the next thing he kn-_

-Flashback End-

“Cub!”

The teen’s head snapped up, eyes wide. Eagle blinked and the scared, wide-eyed image of Cub he had just seen disappeared. In its place was the cool, calm, and collected teen spy he knew. Alex brushed past him, joining the others in the hall. Eagle followed, silently contemplating what had happened to trigger such an emotional response. In front of him, Alex was catching up to the waiting K-Unit and Mrs. Jones. 

“Mr. Blunt will see you now.”

They filed into the office after Mrs. Jones, lining up in front of Blunt’s desk. Ben barley managed not to shake his head in both amusement and disgust. The head of MI6 was still as…gray as ever. Gray hair, gray clothes, gray eyes, and sickly gray skin. The man pushed his wire glasses farther up his nose, eyeing them. Then he turned his gaze to Alex. 

“Alex.”

“Blunt.”

Ben spared the teen a glance. His posture was loose, showing no signs of tension. As always, his emotions were placed behind a carefully constructed mask. Blunt grabbed a file folder off his desk, the only one in sight as a matter of fact. He held it out to the spy, who took it with one hand. Snake’s quick eye caught the sight of sleek metal sticking out of the teen’s waistband as his jacket rode up. 

_Why bring a gun?_

Alex quickly scanned the information in the folder, raising his eyes to stare at Blunt suspiciously. 

“A retrieval mission?”

“Is it not satisfactory?”

Alex shook his head once, passing the folder on to Wolf, who stood next to him. The K-Unit leader flipped through the file. 

“I’m merely surprised it isn’t something more…Earth shattering.” 

The corner of Mrs. Jones’s lip curled up for a moment before settling in the firm, straight line it was usually in. Blunt was impassive, simply continuing. 

“There was another mission that we needed you on however it seems as though some people-“

Here he looked to Mrs. Jones from the corner of his eye.

“-do not agree with sending you out so soon after your unfortunate accident.”

The member of K-Unit were slightly shocked to hear Blunt speak so carelessly of the Incident, as though it hadn’t been a tragic show of Alex’s fragile emotions. For his part, Alex just blinked.

“I sent another team. Hopefully they succeed. If not, we’ll be sending you no matter your physique.” 

Blunt turned his attention from solely resting on Alex to including the K-Unit as well.

“Mr. Daniels, seeing as you’ve worked with Alex before, we believed it would be wise to send you as backup. The rest of your unit coming along is merely to quell any suspicious.”

The folder had finally reached Eagle, who stood at the end of the line. He began to read as Mrs. Jones took over to give the mission debriefing. 

“The objective is to recover some stolen property of the US President. The recovery of the item is of the utmost importance. It shouldn’t take more than 1 day of recon to find away in. We expect you back in 2 days.”

Blunt took over.

“You leave in 30 minutes.”

Mrs. Jones ushered them from the office, taking the file from Eagle’s hands and immediately sending it through a shredder. Mrs. Jones motioned to a passing agent. 

“Take the visitors to their transport.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Mrs. Jones disappeared back into the office and the door closed behind Alex, who merely shook his head at the quick dismissal. The agent led them to a staircase, holding the door open for them. When Alex passed through, the agent stopped him.

“You’re Agent Rider.”

Alex nodded once and moved passed the man, who was now wide-eyed. The rest of K-Unit watched as the agent talked to Alex as they moved down the stairs. 

“Wow, it’s such an honor. I’ve only been here a couple months, but I’ve already heard so much about you. You’re an amazing agent!”

Wolf coughed.

“What?”

The agent turned to look at him.

“You don’t know?”

“Know what?”

The spy eyed him with surprise and a little disdain. 

“You’re working with the greatest agent MI6 has ever seen and you don’t even know it.”

Everyone looked to Ben, who shrugged. Just because he did a job with MI6 didn’t mean he understood how they worked…or knew all the rumors. The agent quickly went into an explanation. 

“Agent Rider is believed to be a myth. There hasn’t been a mission he’s failed, he’s got a 100% success rate. Plus he went head-to-head with the greatest assassin of all time, Yassen Gregorovich. He’s a legend!”

“Alex. Really?”

The agent nodded furiously. Alex held back a sigh, turning to the man. 

“Please refrain from speaking of this encounter. I’m quite sure Blunt would have your job, as well as your head. Also keep in mind I will remove your tongue if you speak any more of the gossip floating around this organization in my colleagues’ presence.”

Wolf raised a brow. When did Alex learn to speak like that? He knew the teen had an eloquent way of speaking but that speech was just ridiculous. The agent didn’t seem to think so however and he paled considerably as he nodded his consent. The rest of the trip down the stairs was spent in silence. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? I think I gave the K-Unit some things to think about, hinted at what led Alex to attempt suicide, and managed to show the K-Unit (and my readers) what the legend of Agent Rider was in MI6. Hope you all like it.  
> Nia


	4. Chapter 4

Sitting in a hotel room far outside London were four men. SAS soldiers to be exact; members of the K-Unit. Fox had taken up position at the window, hand holding the curtain back so he could see everything going on in the outside world. Wolf lay sprawled across one of the beds, still fully clothed and dozing peacefully. He’d driven the whole way here and was a little worse for wear. The last two, Snake and Eagle, were sitting on the couch playing some sort of card game on the worn table. They were all quiet, the two on the couch mumbling things to each other only occasionally and only if it had to do with their game.

Just then the door to the room opened and all four were standing facing the door. Their bodies were tense and they all held the SAS standard issue 9mm Browning. They all relaxed when they saw it was just a teenager with dark brown hair and even darker sunglasses shading his eyes. After he shut the door and locked it, he tossed the sunglasses on the table. He quickly shed the gray jumped he wore and placed it on the back of a nearby chair. Everyone began to settle onto the couch as the teen tugged off his shoes. When he’d finished, he turned to Fox.

“You swept the room?”

“Yes.” 

The body nodded, moving quickly and efficiently to run his fingers over every nook and cranny the small room had to offer, double checking his comrade’s work. He stopped by the window, glancing out for only thirty seconds before closing the curtains. He moved to the door, shoving a t-shirt at the bottom, blocking out the light room the hallway. Then he sat in the only armchair, running his fingers through his hair. 

“I found a way in as well as secured positions for you all. There will be a box in the lobby in approximately…”

The teen paused, glancing at his watch. 

“-twelve minutes. Eagle is to retrieve it. I called in a favor and got the supplies we’ll need.”

Without another word, he stood and moved to the bathroom. Eagle moved to the door quickly, deciding to wait in the lobby. 

“Cub?”

There was no response from Cub, as the teen had been dubbed, as he continued into the bathroom. The door closed behind him firmly and they all heard the audible click of the lock. A few seconds passed and then the shower started up. Fox sighed, running a hand thru his hair. Cub had slipped back into his spy training to easily for Fox. Though, perhaps he’d never stopped using the training. It had to be engraved into his body and mind by now, an automatic reaction. Snake had moved to the bathroom door and he knocked firmly once. 

“Cub?”

“Yes Snake?”

“I need to check your bandages.”

“When I get out.”

The medic sat down with a slight huff, scowl on his lips despite the victory. At least Cub was letting him check the bandages now. Before it was just Cub assuring him the wounds were fine and then the teen would wrap them himself. Part of Snake wondered if the teen was ashamed of what he’d done, the lengths he’d gone to. Most of him believed it was his independent nature and the spy training. Never let a potential threat know you’re injured. The medic thought perhaps he felt guilty, felt terrible for putting K-Unit (Fox especially) through such an ordeal. The tight group of friends had noticed everything Cub did seemed to be for other people; he rarely put himself first. 

A few minutes later Cub walked out of the bathroom, towel slung over his shoulders. He was already dressed for tonight, wearing black jeans and a long-sleeve black shirt. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing white bandages. His chocolate brown hair was back to blonde and hung in little clumps that still dripped water. Snake stood, making his way to Cub and gesturing him back into the bathroom. 

Both Wolf and Fox scowled when the door closed behind them. Wolf knew it was to make Cub feel more comfortable but he didn’t like not knowing what shape his teammates (they were his friends too, not that he’d ever admit it) were in. There were some muffled sounds from the bathroom, causing the two soldiers to lean forward. They could almost make out what was being said when Eagle burst into the room, carrying a box. 

“Hey I got the b…what are you guys doing?”

The energetic brunette gave them a quizzical look as he set the box on the table in front of the couch. Wolf shrugged and walked over, moving to open the box. Fox grinned sheepishly. 

“Cub is letting Snake change his bandages.”

Eagle grinned excitedly, masking the unsettling feeling of Cub carving into himself, and moved to press his ear to the door. He tumbled forward as the door pulled open from under his cheek. Snake glanced down at him and sighed, walking over his comrade and sitting on the couch with the others. Cub came out of the adjacent room, pulling his sleeves over his arms and his bandages. Wolf began to pull items out of the box, placing them on the table. Fox picked one up and gave it a quizzical look. Then he turned to Cub, giving him a ‘explain’ look. Cub leaned forward, placing a hand-drawn map on the table, hands braced on either side of it. 

“Here’s what’s going to happen…”

-That Night- 

The street was deserted except for a young couple making out on the bus bench. Eagle was sitting against the wall of the building Cub would be breaking into, under the cover of a homeless man. Wolf was in the park across the street, pretending to be passed out on a bench. Fox and Snake wouldn’t arrive until the last 5 minutes of the operation, holding each other up as they stumbled ‘drunkenly’ to their car. 

Cub had headed up the building 10 minutes ago. He would have another 15 minutes. The climb was time consuming, as he had to scale by hand with nothing but the foot holds in the brick building to help him. When he had told them the plan, Wolf was the first to argue it was too dangerous. Snake mentioned it could tear his stitches and Eagle was extremely fearful he’d lose his footing, which is why he got the position next to the building. 

Fox was the one who talked them into agreeing, pointing out the teen was the only one who could fit through the window. Reluctantly the others agreed. Cub explained their positions and left the hotel room to build his alibi and cover. They hadn’t gotten to talk to him since then, though the text to Wolf’s phone (In position -Cub) had reassured them all to a certain degree. Now they had to wait and hope everything when as planned. They just couldn’t believe he usually did these dangerous missions himself. 

-With Alex-

He may have withheld some information from the K-Unit. They hadn’t asked what story he was scaling up to so he didn’t tell them. In fact, he wasn’t sure why he was thinking about it at all. Okay, so maybe he was putting himself in extreme danger by climbing eight stories up the side of a building free-handed, with no equipment. Maybe he felt a little guilt taking Fox’s trust when he wasn’t telling the whole truth. He should be focusing at the job at hand. 

Brown eyes flickered to his watch, which was in countdown mode. 10 minutes left. He had chosen the time frame carefully, after a day of observation and a quick hacking job into the mainframe. Even so, this was high risk for getting caught. The man, Robert Malyk if he remembered correctly (which he did) was in a meeting only two rooms over. There was a guard outside the room that could come in at anytime to do a sweep. Cub sighed, looking up and realizing he was in range of the window. 

He grasped the sill with one hand and pushed himself up slightly. Letting go of the brick wall, he forced the window open. Grasping the sill firmly with both hands now, he repositioned his feet. With a strong push, he twisted his body so he was holding onto the sill and his feet were straight up. His body was in the firm position of a handstand for only a half-second before he agilely slid into the room feet first. He landed soundlessly on the plush carpet, right behind the desk. 

Remaining crouched for a moment, he waited to see if anyone had heard him. When no one came in, Cub snuck forward. He was looking for a flash drive, black with an American flag on it. First he deftly ran his fingers over the desk, searching for any hidden compartments. Finding none, he ran both his gaze and his gentle fingers over the top of the desk, making sure not to misplace anything. He heard voices down the hall and they were coming closer. 

_They must have gotten out of the meeting early._ Cub bit back a curse, opening the first drawer. _Bingo!_ With swift fingers he grabbed the flash drive and tucked it into the bandages under his sleeves, so it was out of the way and secure. Cub shut the drawer quietly, hoisting himself out of the window. Quickly he attached the grappling hook to the window sill and lowered himself out, holding onto the rope as he began his hurried descent. 

He was barley out the window when the door opened and then there was the sound of a gun being drawn. Making a split second decision, he let go of the rope (his lifeline) and grabbed his gun as he began to freefall. Before he even had it in his hand there were bullets raining down on him. One connected with his shoulder and he felt a flash of panic, the sniper attack momentarily overriding his senses. With deadly accuracy given to him by SCORPIA training, he shot the shooter in the eye causing a hellish scream of pain to resonate in the still night air. 

It attracted the attention of Snake and Fox, who were just getting to the car. Personas forgotten, they pulled out their guns. Wolf leapt up, his own gun drawn. Eagle stood from the side of the building and looked up just in time to position himself so he could semi-catch Cub. They both grunted with the impact and fell to the cold, hard cement ground. Fox started the car and came to a stop next to them, Wolf climbing into the passenger seat. Snake helped Cub and Eagle to the car, slamming the door behind them. Moments later the streets were completely empty. They’d made it. 

-In the Hotel Room-

Wolf helped Eagle up the stairs, seeing as he was a bit bruised from catching Cub. Snake had done a quick assessment of him in the getaway care and proclaimed two weeks of rest. His left wrist was sprained and his ribs (and ass, if he were being truthful) were slightly bruised. They would be sore for awhile. Fox was in front of them, holding open the door to their floor. 

Snake followed the group, obviously lost in thought. Cub had stayed in the lobby to call in the mission’s success and arrange transport. Soon they were in the hotel room, door closed swiftly behind them and Eagle placed comfortably on the bed. None of them bothered to undress, knowing transport would be there as soon as possible since the mission was of such importance. 

Wolf sat in the armchair, eyes closed. Snake went to check on Eagle and Fox sat on the edge of the couch, fingers tapping as he waited anxiously for Cub. There was a knock on the door and Fox lurched forward, pulling out his gun and opening the door in the same swift motion. With a sigh of relief, he let Cub in. The teen walked to the couch, promptly collapsing into the cushions. Fox and Snake shared a worried look. 

“Cub, let me make sure the stitches haven’t come undone.” 

He said nothing, just nodded his consent. Snake kneeled before him, using gentle fingers to unwrap the cuts. Fox sat forward. He hadn’t had a chance to look at the self-inflicted wounds before and he doubted he would again. Both cuts were about one inch long. Narrow and straight, it was obvious they were done by a steady hand with no hesitation. Black stitches held the skin together. Snake had told him earlier, as they pretended to get drunk at a bar, that they were healing nicely and would have minimal scarring. He believed Snake, who was humming lightly as he re-wrapped the wrists. 

“You’re lucky, mate. Under such stress, they could have torn very easily.”

Cub didn’t reply. Fox reached over, hand barley touching the teen’s left shoulder before he had a gun pointed at the black-haired man, finger resting confidently against the trigger. 

“Relax, it’s just me…Alex?”

The teen’s eyes were clouded and at Fox’s reassurances he blinked owlishly. 

“Ben? Where’s Jack?”

The medic placed a hand on the teen’s forehead, quite surprised to feel the heat even a few centimeters from his forehead. The kid was burning up. Snake sighed, running a hand over his face tiredly.

“He’s delirious. Check for an open wound. Chances are it’s in the first stage of infection.”

Fox rubbed the bridge of his nose, pulling his hand away when he felt an unfamiliar wet feeling. His hand, the one that had rested on Cub’s shoulder, had a few traces of blood on it. 

“Snake…”

The K-Unit’s medic looked over for a second and did a mini double take when he saw the blood on Fox’s hand. 

“His left shoulder.”

Snake’s brow furrowed and he began to pull at the black shirt. Fox helped him get the material off by leaning the teen forward. Fox talked softly to Cub, trying to keep him aware that it was only his friends; they were only trying to help him. Wolf had sat forward and was watching silently. He took the bloody shirt from Snake and tossed it into the trash. 

Cub’s torso was covered in bandages and they continued over his left shoulder, were there was a patch of red growing on the white material. Snake set about quickly unwrapping the material from the bottom up. As the bandages were pulled away they revealed bruised ribs and healing cuts from a previous date. After Snakehead, Fox was sure. The remaining bandages were tossed away and Wolf stood, a whoosh of air escaping his lips. 

“The fuck!?!”

Fox had gone pale and Snake looked like his namesake; tense and ready to strike. Why or on whom wasn’t clear. If they thought the bruised and cut up sight of his torso was bad, the scar on his heart was worse. No, not on his heart but approximately a centimeter above it, Snake’s trained medical eyes deducted. It looked to be barley a month healed. It might have looked better if there weren’t multiple electrical burns on the surrounding area. The scar itself was puffy and the surrounding area was bruised black and purple. About two and a half inches above the scar was an open wound. Blood was dripping from it slowly. Snake eyed it. 

“The bullet is still in there…we’ll have to dig it out.”

Snake moved to grab the needed materials for the quick fix. He just wanted to get the bullet out and then staunch the blood flow so they could get their youngest member to a hospital. Fox was sitting nearby, waiting to help. Wolf went to sit on the free bed, alternating between watching Eagle and watching his other three friends. 

“Cub.”

The teen opened his eyes wearily, quickly scanning the room and taking everything in. 

“Transport here?”

“No. We need to get the bullet out of your shoulder.”

The teen’s brow furrowed but then he seemed to resign himself, nodding tiredly. He offered no argument when Fox carefully pushed the hair that was sticking to his forehead back. Snake pulled out a switchblade, pulling a nearby lamp closer so he could see clearly. Folding a towel and pressing it under the bullet wound to catch the blood, he took a deep breath to steady himself. He worked as efficiently as he could, blade enlarging the hole so he could find the bullet and remove it. Cub said nothing, didn’t whimper, or cry. He merely sat, his breath shallow. He kept his eyes trained on Snake, muscles tense as though he was resisting the urge to run. 

-Flashback Start-

_“Alex, Alex, Alex. You’ve caused us a lot of trouble.”_

_The man moved closer and his breath warmed Alex’s cheek, causing him to tense. He couldn’t see anything, the thick blindfold blocking any light. He had a terrible headache, though he didn’t know if it was from the ringing in his left ear or from the cut on his forehead. The room was hot, despite the fact he was shirtless and drenched in sweat._

_“We tried to kill you and you got away.”_

_The man’s thin fingers pressed on the scar above the spy’s heart, causing a tight, clenching pain to engulf Alex’s chest. Fear. There was a low chuckle and then the feel of cool metal replaced the fingers._

_“Perhaps we can finish what the sniper started.”_

_Silence and then hot, blinding pain. He didn’t know where it ended, where it began. There was a background soundtrack of sinister laughter and Alex began to scream-_

-Flashback End-

“Keep him still!”

Snake had just managed to find the bullet and had begun to edge it up with the tip of the blade when Cub had started to twitch. Within seconds it was full-on struggling. Wolf moved to grasp the teen’s shoulders, pinning his upper body while Fox stilled his arms and twisting torso. Snake quickly pulled the bullet out, tossing both it and the switchblade onto the nearby table. With a firm hand he pressed the bloodied towel to the wound, cursing when it began to leak through. Fox ran to get another towel, replacing the saturated one. Snake grimaced as blood continued to leak out, albeit sluggishly. He was worried he had nicked the brachial artery* on accident due to Cub’s sudden movement, which would be very, very bad. Indescribable bad. 

“Wolf, see if transport is on the way.”

The leader nodded, pulling away to make the call. Cub was still twitching and he was perspiring heavily, eyes clenched shut and body tense. Fox reached to push his bangs away and the teen whimpered, shying from the touch. The soldier was too worried to be offended. He sat diligently, waiting anxiously for the transport. Cub winced in his delusional state and Fox frowned. 

_This was going to be his last mission for a long, long time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Brachial artery is the main artery in your arm. It runs from your shoulder to a little past your elbow.  
> Nia


	5. Chapter 5

-Next Morning-

Morning brought a blonde teenager the harsh rays of the sun peeking through white blinds. Blinking wearily, his chocolate brown eyes quickly assessed his surroundings. He duly noted that everything about his movements seemed sluggish, slowed down by sleep. When he caught sight of the IV tube feeding into his left arm, he almost sighed. _Slowed down by sleep and a cocktail of drugs._ Deciding it would be best to stand and awaken his dulled senses, the teen swung the sheet covering him to the side. 

Carefully swinging his legs off the side of the bed closest to the wall, he braced a hand on the bed and the other on the wall. He didn’t allow himself time to catch his breath from the simple action of sitting up, just pushed off the bed and placed his feet on the cold tiled floor. He teetered dangerously once he was standing, knees shaking slightly. The teen doubled at his waist, squeezing his eyes closed as he waited for the nausea and spinning room to go away. 

Once again he straightened himself and took a deep breath. Removing the hand that was pressed against the wall, he relied completely on his own two feet. Shuffling forward a few inches, he fought to keep control of his body. As he began to sink to the floor rapidly, one hand grasped the edge of the bed to slow his descent. He heard the door to the room open and then a soft curse in a familiar Scottish accent. Moments later cool hands were grasping his flushed cheeks and pulling his face up. Worried blue eyes peered into his own.

“You daft boy, moving around in your condition!”

The blonde snorted in a short display of disbelief and anger, as though he couldn’t believe the teen would act so stupidly. The man crouched in front of him, apparently busy himself with checking Alex's head for wounds. 

“Sorry Snake. I couldn’t feel my legs.”

The tough set of Snake’s mouth smoothed out and the understanding in his eyes softened his previous anger. Gently he helped the blonde teen off the floor and set him on the bed, placing the IV back in his arm swiftly. 

“You stay put while I get the doctor. Got it Alex?”

Alex nodded compliantly, waiting until the man left the room to let his head fall back into his pillow in exhaustion. Almost immediately there was a small chuckle, though it seemed tired and slightly forced. 

“Wearing yourself out already?”

Alex opened his eyes, taking in the black-haired soldier standing in the doorway. He was propped up against the doorframe, one hand holding a cup of coffee and the other tucked into his jeans pocket. 

“Hi Ben.”

Ben smiled softly, a slight twitch of the corner of his mouth. He walked into the room, dropping gracefully in the chair next to spy’s bed. Alex closed his eyes once more, trusting Ben to watch over him. The man took a sip of coffee, placing it on the bedside table and moving to grasp Alex’s hand. Gently he squeezed it, offering silent comfort. They rested in comfortable silence for a few minutes, waiting for their teammate to return with the doctor. 

“Alex…”

The blue-eyed man was cut off by the entrance of a tall man wearing a white coat and carrying a clipboard. The doctor’s green eyes sparkled happily and he reached with one hand to impatiently push back the red locks falling in front of his eyes. Alex had opened his eyes at the point and Ben caught the slight smile that tugged at his lips with the appearance of this man. 

“Alex! Good to see you again, mate.”

“Hello Doctor Darvill.”

The man scoffed, moving forward to Alex’s bedside. 

“I told you last time, it's Brendon.” 

Alex smiled fondly and leaned his head back, closing his eyes once again. Ben squeezed his hand once more to reassure him and then backed away, allowing the doctor room to do his job. By now, Snake and the other members of the K-Unit had arrived and were making themselves comfortable around the spacious room. Brendon was talking adamantly to Alex, who was lightly humming in response. 

“It’s only been 6 days since I saw you last. Miss me that much?”

“No.”

“Aw, you little bugger! I missed you too!”

The doctor ruffled the blonde teen’s hair affectionately, while said teen merely smirked contently for a few short moments. The red-headed doctor finished his checkup, standing with his hands on his hips at the foot of Alex’s bed. 

“Don’t move from this bed, you understand? You’ve aggravated your wound, so I’m keeping you here for another day of observation. Then you’re gonna go home and rest.”

The SAS soldiers were snickering lightly at the light red dusting their youngest member’s cheeks, making him appear chastised like a 5 year old. They all stopped their sniggering when the red-head rounded on them, one hand still on his hip and the other formed into a fist, one finger moving in a semi-arc to include the mean scattered around the room.

“If you boys don’t keep an eye on Alex, I’m coming after you with a tetanus shot!” 

Eagle paled considerably at the threat of a shot while the others shifted uncomfortably. Alex watched them wordlessly, though inside he felt warmth spread through his chest. Brendon reminded him of Jack and while remembering his sister-figure was usually painful, Brendon made it seem easier. His fierce, protective attitude caused the familiar feelings of being wanted, being loved to spread through Alex. He had almost forgotten how they felt and how much he yearned to feel that way again. 

Brendon turned back to Alex, the wide smile on his lips crinkling the corners of his eyes. He gently patted the teen’s ankle through the thin sheet, turning to leave the room. As he approached the door it opened and the SAS soldiers quickly snapped to attention when they saw who entered. Alex schooled his expression, sitting up slightly so his back was ramrod straight. Brendon hovered in the doorway, glaring at the newcomer with barely concealed animosity. Just then another person entered, a woman wearing a matching navy blue business suit. 

“Doctor Darvill.”

Brendon inclined his head slightly in greeting. 

“Mrs. Jones.” 

“Please excuse us. Alan and I need to speak with Alex alone.”

She purposefully cast her dark eyes to include the soldiers in the room, stopping on Ben for a moment. Brendon clenched his jaw but did as told, moving out of the room and holding the door open for the men to step through. Eagle and Wolf were first, both casting sly glances at Alex. Snake and Ben both hesitated, hating the idea of leaving the teen. Snake caught Alex’s slight inclination of the head, indicating for them to leave, and nodded once before grasping Ben’s elbow and pulling him from the room. The door shut behind them, blocking them from Alex. Ben collapsed into a nearby chair, burying his head in his hands. 

“Why can’t they just leave him the bloody hell alone?!”

Eagle sat next to his friend, grasping his shoulder in silent comfort. Wolf propped himself against the wall next to the chairs, arms crossed as he stared into space with a contemplative look on his face. Snake was sitting in a chair across from Ben, brows furrowed in thought. They were on their own for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Then Brendon was there, an intern by his side. They carried coffee. 

“Thought you could use the juice.”

After the intern had handed Snake, Wolf, and Eagle their coffee he left, murmuring a goodbye to the doctor. Said doctor gave Ben a cup of joe and then sat next to Snake, sipping his own brew. Wolf looked up from his cup, eyeing the doctor curiously and with a bit of distrust. 

“You seem awfully close to Alex.”

The red-head looked up, nodding slowly. He caught the man’s silent command to expand on the subject.

“I was assigned to Alex’s case after his previous doctor was retired, about 2 months ago. I didn’t see him until about a month and a half ago, when he was rushed here in critical condition.”

Eagle’s brow furrowed.

“A month and a half ago? Isn’t that when he had to get his appendix removed?”

Snake scoffed, crumpling the empty coffee cup in his hand. 

“Come on Eagle. Do you honestly think he was getting his appendix taken out?”

The brunette ran a hand through his short hair, knowing the medic was right. He wasn’t ignorant, but he didn’t want to believe something worse had happened to the teen spy. _He shouldn’t have to be in those types of situations in the first place_ , Eagle thought angrily. 

“You weren’t awake Eagle but we saw Alex’s bullet wound and…”

Wolf trailed off, obviously disturbed by the memory. Brendon watched the depressed expressions and emotions flirting across the soldier’s faces. They obviously cared a lot for the young boy in the hospital room. Snake was rubbing his forehead, obviously thinking hard. 

“I want to know where he could have gotten a wound like that in the first place.”

Four pairs of eyes turned to the spy’s attending physician, who merely shook his head. 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you.”

Ben practically growled and he could feel Eagle tighten his grip almost instantaneously. 

“Did MI6 make you sign the OSA?”

“OSA?”

Ben gave Snake a disbelieving glance. It was obvious he and Eagle hadn’t heard of the contract. 

“Official Secrets Act.”

Wolf supplied the official name quickly, mouth twisted in a way that suggested he had to sign one and hated them with a passion. Brendon shook his head, lacing his fingers together. 

“No. It’s patient-doctor confidentiality agreement.”

It was quite for a few moments. 

“Besides, Alex should be the one to tell you. It’ll be a sign of trust. Alex doesn’t share lightly.”

Ben snorted. 

“Don’t I know it.”

The rest of the wait was in silence as each of the men thought about the teen that had touched each of their lives so deeply.

-Approximately 30mins Later-

Ben had fallen into a light slumber, his head resting on Eagle’s shoulder. The poor bloke had been exhausted since Alex had been admitted and was finally getting some of the rest he needed. Wolf had moved from standing stoically against the wall to pacing lightly between the two rows of chairs. 

Brendon had left a few minutes after ending their conversation, over 15 minutes ago, mumbling about patients that just wouldn’t follow directions. Snake and Eagle were playing rock-paper-scissors, glaring at Wolf whenever he walked in front of them and blocked their view of their opponent. The door to the hospital room opened and Blunt walked out, looking slightly…unnerved. 

He paid no attention to the SAS soldiers, now on alert, instead choosing to simply walk down the hall and out of view. Mrs. Jones exited the room next, nodding her acknowledgment and hurrying after her boss. Ben was first to jump to his feet, despite being groggy from sleep, and moved into the room quickly. The others followed him, Wolf closing the door behind them. Ben was brushing the hair back from Alex’s face, shielding him from the other’s sight. 

“Ben? Is he alright?”

Eagle was practically bouncing on his toes, nervously chewing on his lip. Snake placed a hand on his shoulder, grounding him. Ben sighed, mumbling something only Alex could hear before pulling back from the teen and sitting in the chair next to his bed. Snake rushed forward almost immediately, taking in the pale pallor of his skin and the slight sheen of sweat coating his brow. 

“Bloody hell! You’re burning up.”

Alex shrugged helplessly, falling back into his pillows with a heavy sigh. Apparently the meeting with Blunt had drained him. He raised a hand, visibly shaking, to knead at the bridge of his nose, trying in vain to rid himself of a terrible headache. Eagle settled on the edge of the bed, sitting Indian style. Snake took the chair on the other side of the bed and Wolf pulled a chair up the end of the bed. He spun the chair so it was backwards, sitting on it and crossing his arms across the back. 

“What’d they want?” 

Alex closed his eyes tightly, allowing them to open only after his hand fell back at his side. 

“Blunt is trying to assign me a new guardian.”

Ben stiffened, jaw clenching. The others appeared shocked, surprise evident across their features. Alex just went on, eyes fixed on his lap, where his fingers were twisting together. 

“I told him I wanted to stay with Ben and we had a slight…disagreement.”

It seemed for a moment as though that was all Alex was going to say on the matter. Then he looked up, eyes dark. 

“He still wouldn’t agree so I pointed my gun at his head and threatened to shoot him. I told him he could force me to do missions all he wanted but I was going to stay with Ben if it killed me.”

The pure defiance on Alex’s face surprised them all. Wolf was first to break the silence, grinning widely. 

“Damn! Wish I had the guts to threaten the Sarge.”

Snake snorted.

“Sarge would rip your balls off before you even got your gun out.”

Alex watched a small smile cross his lips as the soldiers began to joke about the Sergeant of Brecon Beacons and all the stupid pranks they had done at the SAS camp. They commented on Blunt’s slightly unsettled look when he’d left the room and laughed. Alex allowed himself to bask in the sincerity of it all, enjoying the lighthearted conversation.   
Soon Eagle was sprinting from the room, cursing himself for revealing it was he who had sabotaged Wolf’s bunk with oatmeal from the dining hall. Wolf was chasing after him in a flash and after a short laugh with Ben and Alex, Snake left to make sure they didn’t kill each other or get kicked out of the hospital. Once the rest of K-Unit was gone, Ben turned to Alex. 

“Alex.”

The teen turned to look at Ben, ducking his head shyly. 

“Hm?”

“I just…I wanted to say how much it meant to me that you were so determined to stay with me. I…I didn’t think you would want to.”

Alex looked up, slightly surprised. Ben was running a hand through his hair, obviously nervous about how the teen spy would react. 

“So you don’t…mind?”

Ben gave Alex a curious look.

“Mind what?”

“Me sticking around.”

The teen ducked his head again, eyes focused on his fingers. Ben realized this was the barest he’d ever seen Alex, emotionally. Even after nightmares the boy was detached and indifferent, disappearing into the bathroom to either take a shower or puke his guts out, sometimes both. Alex appeared nervous and worried, slightly flustered. It was the exact opposite of the cool, calm, and collected spy that Ben had gotten to know, even in their off time together. 

“I just figured you wouldn’t want me around anymore, after everything that’s happened. I know it was selfish of me to try and-“

He stopped, seemingly steadying himself. It lasted barely 2 seconds but Ben knew the teen well enough by now to know that he was uncomfortable and unnerved.

“I know it was selfish of me to try and kill myself. I’m a lot of trouble…and I’m usually not the best company plus I-“

This time he was cut off because of Ben. The older man wrapped his arms tight around Alex, not loosening his hold for anything. Eventually Alex relaxed, wrapping his arms around Ben in turn. That was how K-Unit found them 10 minutes later when they came back. 

-Next Evening- 

K-Unit was back at Ben’s place. Alex had been allowed to leave the hospital early after being armed with Brendon’s personal cell number and strict orders to take it easy. Brendon and Snake had spent about 30 minutes talking medical terms and prescription meds before they were allowed to leave. They had been in the middle of watching a movie when the alarm went off on Snake’s watch, alerting him that it was time for Alex’s first dose of pain pills. 

Now Snake was grabbing the appropriate pills from multiple containers while Wolf grabbed Alex a glass of water. They both went back into the living room, smiling at the sight. Eagle was sprawled across the floor next to the couch, alternating between watching the movie and looking at the couch’s occupants. Ben was sitting on one end of the couch, Alex curled up in his lap like a young child. 

The blonde had exhausted himself on the trip from the hospital, to the pharmacist, and then up the steps to Ben’s apartment. Ben was running his fingers through the blonde locks, to focused on the movie to notice the sly looks his teammates gave him. He nodded when Snake motioned to wake Alex and gently grasped the teen’s wrist, calling his name. 

“Alex.”

The teen mumbled as he blinked owlishly, sitting up slowly and cracking his neck. Snake gave him the handful of pills and Wolf pressed the glass of water into his hand. The teen pursed his lips and eyed the pills with something akin to distaste. 

“Alex? You need to take the pills.”

Eagle sat up, anticipating an argument. Wolf quirked a brow from his seat in the armchair, sharing a look with Snake, who was sitting on the coffee table for the time being. Ben quirked a brow at the reluctant teen.

“Alex-“

“No, I won’t take them.”

Ben sighed. 

“Why not?”

“My reaction time is hindered when I’m on pain meds. Besides, I haven’t taken them before and I’ve been fine.”

Snake and Ben shared a hard look. 

“Alex, you can take the pills. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

Alex hesitated, casting a glance at his teammates- no, his friends- gathered around the living room from under his bangs. His eyes landed on Wolf, the strong, silent leader that he’d butted heads with from the beginning. He read the silent message in Wolf’s serious, yet oddly warm brown eyes. 

_Nothing will happen to you while I’m here. I promise, Cub._

Alex wrinkled his nose but quickly knocked the pills back. Snake let out a sigh of relief almost inaudibly. He had thought for a moment he might have to force the pills down Alex’s throat. They were essential, not only for the healing of his gunshot wound and the pain management but also because they would help him put on the weight he’d lost from his streak of depression.

The depression was still present, the medic noticed, when Alex let his guard down and was just thinking to himself. It would be awhile before the teen was feeling a hundred percent but Snake knew everyone in Ben’s living room was willing to be there the whole way. It made him feel better, feel more confident that Alex would eventually get through this. Snake moved to settle next to Alex on the couch but was stopped by Eagle. 

“Hey Alex?”

“Yes Eagle?”

The youngest member beside the teenager, usually so rambunctious, was silent and serious. It worried his friends and teammates. 

“Will you tell us what happened? To your chest, I mean.”

Alex tensed, shoulders stiffening in a way that no doubt pulled on his stitched wound and caused it pain. The teen’s face closed off for a moment and Eagle was worried he’d pushed too far and they’d lost Alex for the time being. Then the blonde nodded slowly. 

“I can’t tell you one thing without telling you everything.”

“So tell us everything.”

Alex gave Eagle the longest, deepest stare the man had ever known. It was if Alex was studying him, picking him apart and deciding if he was ready for whatever the teen was going to tell them. Finally the teen nodded. 

“You might want to get comfortable. It’s a long story.”

Alex broke it down for them, starting with Ian’s death. He ran quickly through Brecon Beacons, Stormbreaker, and Point Blank. Wolf’s face showed how he felt about being involved in that mission and not even realizing what was going on. The teen skirted through Skelton Key and Eagle Strike. 

He rushes through Scorpia, noting the awe, surprise, respect, and slight fear on their faces when they realized he had trained with SCORPIA operatives and taken them down. It quickly melted into anger, realization, and sorrow when he explains the sniping, rubbing at his chest as it aches from just the memory. 

He runs through Ark Angel relatively quickly. When he gets to Snakehead, he takes a few minutes to talk about the Australian soldiers he meet. He can’t suppress the smile that escapes when Eagle makes fun of the ASIS, trying to speak with an Australian accent and failing miserably. Once he finishes he falls back into the couch, emotionally and mentally drained. 

Ben wraps and arm around his shoulders and pulls the teen into his side. As his eyes begin to drift shut, he spots Eagle turning down the volume on the TV and Snake covering Ben and himself with a blanket. Then Ben’s hand is carding through his hair gently, a lulling motion that is slowly pulling Alex closer to the brink of oblivion. 

“Rest.”

And he does. 


	6. Chapter 6

-Three Months in the Future-

The sun was bright and warm upon the golden skin of the 15 year-old teen sitting outside a small coffee shop. Blond hair was tousled by the wind, falling slightly in his eyes, the tips of his bangs just dipping past his eyebrows. His blue eyes were bright and wide as he took in the surrounding area. With little care he brought his coffee to his lips and took a sip, sighing in contentment as the warm liquid slid down his throat and warmed him from the inside out. The sun glistened off the wet streets, catching on the puddles left behind by the daily afternoon shower that had ceased only a few minutes earlier. Suddenly, the soft till of a ringing cell phone sounded, promoting the teen to reach into his pocket, pulling out a slim cellular device and flipping it open.

“’Ello?”

“Hey, where are you?”

The teen smiled softly, the corners of his lips pulling up at the aggravated voice on the other end of the phone. 

“At the coffee shop.”

“Alex! We have to be at the field in a half hour!”

Alex chuckled, relaxing further into his seat. He took another sip of his coffee, rolling the liquid around his tongue for a moment before swallowing. The satisfying taste of cinnamon was left behind; a simple pleasure.

“Relax Tom. We’ll make it.”

“We better.”

Tom ended the call, leaving Alex to listen to the dial tone for a few seconds. There had been no real bite to the voice, something Alex could tell without even trying. The blond smiled. He was looking forward to playing football with the rest of his friends. It had been so long since he had been able to relax and enjoy a good game. 

A lot had changed in the last few months. MI6 for instance. Blunt was no longer head of the department, having ‘retired’ after a few hidden orders came to light. Rumor has it the head honcho of MI6, a no-nonsense woman by the name M, had given him quite the send off. Mrs. Jones was now head of the department, something Alex found reassuring. He was sure she was behind the sudden appearance of the hidden files needed to force Blunt into an early retirement. She had promised Alex he would be left alone during the school year unless it was an absolute emergency; after all, he was to entrenched in this life to give it up now. The woman had also allowed Alex to stay with Ben, which made him like her infinitely more. 

Ben had become his formal guardian. They had the papers signed less than a month ago and it had been one of the best days of Alex’s life by far. Shortly after the papers had been signed, Ben had shown Alex the new house he’d bought. It was a simple two-story with enough rooms to house K-Unit; the unit officially lived together. Ben was amazing, enrolling Alex in a new school so he wouldn’t be tormented by the idiots at Brookland. It was still close to where Tom lived, however, and the boy had already been over many times in the last month. 

Tom. That was another thing that had changed for the better. Ben had been the one to get a hold of the other teen. He and K-Unit hatched a plan to lock them in the basement together until they resolved their problems. Alex didn’t really want to think of the logistics of it all, he was just glad he got his best friend back. He hadn’t realized how much he missed the boy’s constant curious questions and endless teasing. 

Generally speaking, Alex was happier than he had been in a long time. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so light, so enthralled to be alive and breathing in the clean air and feeling the sun warm his face. The teen knew it was mostly due to the K-Unit, Ben in particular. What could he say? The men who had made his life miserable less than two years ago were now closer to his heart than he could remember even Ian being. 

Alex ran a hand through his hair, pulling it from his eyes slightly. It flopped back into place almost immediately. Smiling slightly at the approaching figure across the street he stood and tossed his coffee into a nearby trashcan. The cup never touched the rim. Pulling on the blue jumper draped over the back of his chair, the teen left the coffee shop. After looking both ways he sprinted across the road, hands firmly tucked into his pockets. 

“Hey Tom.”

“’Ey.”

Grabbing the football from his friend’s hands with a surprise lunge, the blonde teen waggled his eyebrows and took off running. 

“ALEX!”

“Catch me if you can, you lethargic twit!”

“Get back here with my ball you bugger!”

_Yeah_ , Alex thought as he ran, _things were definitely looking up._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By football I mean soccer…I mean, it is set in England. Also, in order for James Bond and Alex Rider to exist in the same universe (like in my series of one-shots called the Misadventures of Alex Rider) I was vague about the department Blunt headed. You could view it as an experimental department of MI6, looking into alternative sources of gathering information (such as using a kid). In Anthony Horowitz’s universe, Blunt is the chief executive of the Special Operations division of MI6...that sounds good enough to me. I just want to make it clear that the actual head of MI6 didn't know and in no way approved of what Blunt was doing...he had some stuff on the side, if you know what I mean.   
> I hope you all liked the ending and thanks for reviewing/liking/et cetera!   
> Nia


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